February 19th, 2010
The Rudd Goverment has announced this morning that it will stop the $1200 subsidies on roof insulation following the death incidents and some poor worksmanship of certain installers. Installers now have just seven days to lodge their $1,200 claims for all finished work.
Environment Minister Peter Garrett said he was getting rid of the shonky operators by requiring tough new rules to force all installers to re-register, pay a cash bond of about $10,000 and prove they had proper training.
It is expected the subsidies to be replaced with a $1,000 rebate starting on 1st of Jun this year.
Mr Garrett also announced sweeping changes to other schemes, cutting the rebate for solar hot water systems to $1000. The interest-free green loans to carry out home improvements will also be axed next month.
Source: Herald Sun
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February 6th, 2010
Green Loans is an Australian Government initiative to help Australians tackle climate change. The Green Loans Program assists Australian families to install solar, water saving, and energy efficient products.
Green Loans has two main components of support from the Australian Government:
- a free Home Sustainability Assessment and report; and
- access to a Green Loans subsidy provided to participating financial institutions to cover up to four years interest for borrowing of up to $10,000, to implement changes recommended in the assessment report.
The Program commenced on 1 July 2009.
Many households who take up a Home Sustainability Assessment may be interested in taking out a loan to undertake the home improvements suggested in the assessment report. To assist these households, the Australian Government has lowered the cost of finance by providing a loan subsidy to participating financial institutions.
For all information regarding green loans check out www.environment.gov.au/greenloans.
Tags: Green loan
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February 6th, 2010
Industry reports have shown that even when a house is fully insulated – walls, floor and ceiling, that up to 48% of the heat loss occurs through single glazed windows.
Double glazing is most commonly produced as a factory-sealed unit where two panes of glass are separated by a still air layer of between six to 20 mm. These are then fitted into window frames, which are usually made wider to accommodate the double-glazed unit. Factory made units contain dry air between the layers of glass, a desiccant (silica gel) to absorb any moisture likely to cause condensation and are usually double sealed.
Another method of reducing heat loss through glazing is to use low emittance (Low-E) glass. This glass has a special coating which reflects radiant heat back into the room. The coating is located on the glass inside the air space, and reduces transmission of radiant heat from the warmer glass to the colder glass. Low-E glass is generally only used in conjunction with double glazing. Depending on the direction the coating is facing, Low-E glass can be used to reduce either heat loss from inside a building or heat gain from outside (in hot climates). The use of Low-E glass to control heat gain is not recommended for Victorian conditions as it also reduces the amount of solar gain in winter.
The material of the window frame can affect overall window performance. Materials with high heat conductance cause more rapid heat loss from the heated interior in winter and higher heat gain in summer. PVC and timber frames generally perform better than metal frames, unless metal frames have thermal breaks to decrease conductance across them.
All Smarterhaus homes are fitted with double glazed windows.
For more detailed information about window energy efficiency check out www.sustainability.vic.gov.au.
Tags: energy efficiency rating
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February 6th, 2010
NASA is joining forces with Integrated Building Solutions (IBS) to tackle a new frontier – the energy efficiency of buildings. Check out the story at www.energyefficiencynews.com.
Tags: energy efficiency rating
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February 6th, 2010
The benefits of organic food are now well recognized with research findings that confirm that organic foods have far higher nutrient, vitamin and mineral content, as well as not having harmful pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and artificial fertilizer chemicals that are present in non-organic products. Organic food is especially higher in vitamin C, antioxidants, iron, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. Organic agriculture enhances soil structures, conserves water, mitigates climate change, and ensures sustained biodiversity. Through its holistic nature, organic farming integrates wild biodiversity, agro-biodiversity and soil conservation, and takes low-intensity farming one step further by eliminating the use of chemical use.
The general public is increasingly becoming aware of the benefits, as evidenced by the growth of the organic industry in Australia and around the world. Australia is following a boom that is transforming the way people eat all over the world. This includes the rising popularity in consumers eating more local food. The local food movement is a “collaborative effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies – one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is integrated to enhance the economic, environmental and social health of a particular place” and is considered to be a part of the broader sustainability movement. It is part of the concept of local purchasing and local economies, a preference to buy locally produced goods and services.
Local food systems are an alternative to the global corporate models where producers and consumers are separated through a chain of processors/manufacturers, shippers and retailers. As the food industry grows, the ‘middle man’ is increasingly able to control the quality of food. Conversely, the local food system redevelops these relationships and encourages a return of quality control to the consumer and the producer respectively. These quality characteristics are not only in the product but in the method of producing. By reducing distance between the processes environmental, economic and social costs are reduced. The shorter the distance between the processes the greater the connectedness between all people in the food system.
Check out www.organicfooddirectory.com.au for great information on organic food and local food communities.
www.farmersmarkets.org.au will help you find a farmers market near you.
Tags: farmers market, organic food
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February 6th, 2010
Well it’s that time of the year again as the sustainable living festival gets underway today across plenty of local venues Australia-wide. The Festival raises awareness and provides tools for change by showcasing tangible solutions to the ecological and social challenges we face. In 2009 the Festival at Federation Square attracted over 124,000 visits and engaged more than 450 community volunteers.
In its eleventh year, the Festival is getting even bigger!
The 2010 Festival will include 2 programs, the Main Event at Federation Square (19-21 February 2010) and the Local Events Program (6-21 February 2010). The new 2-week format will enable individuals and communities across Australia to host and promote their own sustainability event, extending the reach of the sustainability message even further.
The Main Event at Federation Square in the heart of Melbourne will continue to celebrate the very best examples of ecological and social sustainability. The event will fuse interactive workshops, talks, demonstrations, artworks, exhibits, films and live performances. In recognition of the climate situation, the Main Event will be inspired by the theme: Get Ready for the Safe Climate Decade!
For more information on the festival check out the website at www.festival.slf.org.au and get along and be involved at your local venue!
Tags: sustainable living
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February 5th, 2010
The Australian Government is offering a rebate of $1,600 to install a solar hot water system or $1,000 to install a heat pump hot water system. This is to help eligible home-owners, landlords or tenants to replace their electric storage hot water systems with solar or heat pump hot water systems. This offer is part of the Government’s Energy Efficient Homes Package which came into effect on 3 February 2009.
The Solar Hot Water Rebate will help people save money on their power bills and reduce their household’s greenhouse gas emissions. Water heating is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions from the average Australian home, accounting for around 25 per cent of home energy use (excluding the family car).
Installing a climate friendly hot water system can save a family up to $700 off their energy bills each year.
For more information check out www.environment.gov.au.
This rebate can be used in combination with any Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) that you may be eligible for, saving you even more on a new solar hot water system or heat pump for your home. For more information on RECs check out www.orer.gov.au.
Tags: heat pump, rebate, solar hot water
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February 5th, 2010
Water scarcity has always been a huge problem in Australia. However, there are ways to help ease this problem for many Australians. Rainwater tanks have been used for a long time to manage water use by preserving rainwater that can be stored and later used for drinking and other home use. In addition, new advancements in greywater systems mean that homes can potentially recycle just over half of their total household water use, which is usually hundreds of litres of water a day.
As part of the $12.9 billion Water for the Future plan, the Government is delivering the $250 million National Rainwater and Greywater Initiative to help people use water wisely in their everyday lives.
The Australian Government is providing:
- Rebates of up to $500 for households to install rainwater tanks or greywater systems.
- Grants to surf life saving clubs of up to $10,000 to install a rainwater tank or undertake a larger water saving project.
The National Rainwater and Greywater Initiative offers household rebates of up to $500 for new rainwater tanks or greywater systems purchased after 30 January 2009. Applications for rebates will only be accepted from 1 March 2009. For more information check out www.environment.gov.au.
Tags: greywater, rebate
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February 5th, 2010
With the impacts of climate change and global warming widely accepted as a reality, all levels of Australian governments have responded to the challenge by setting targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. To help meet these targets the Australian Building Codes Board have introduced energy efficiency measures for new houses into the Building Code of Australia (BCA). Check out www.environment.gov.au for more information about these changes.
All states currently impose a minimum energy rating requirement of 5 stars or a similar equivalent on all new homes being built. However, proposed amendments of the 2010 edition of the BCA will be raising the 5 star minimum, which is expected to take effect from May 1, 2010. The amendments hope to achieve greater energy efficiency in the residential building sector by upgrading the minimum energy standard to 6 stars or equivalent by 2011 and phasing in mandatory disclosure of residential building energy, greenhouse and water performance at the time of sale or lease. What does this mean for potential renters and leasees? Well, rent estimates and property values will now consider a building’s energy efficiency rating as a determining factor in what a building will fetch in the market. For more information about home energy efficiency ratings in Australia check out www.yourhome.gov.au
With the impacts of climate change and global warming widely accepted as a reality, all levels of Australian governments have responded to the challenge by setting targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. To help meet these targets the Australian Building Codes Board have introduced energy efficiency measures for new houses into the Building Code of Australia (BCA). All states currently impose a minimum energy rating requirement of 5 stars or a similar equivalent on all new homes being built. However, proposed amendments of the 2010 edition of the BCA will be raising the 5 star minimum, which is expected to take effect from May 1, 2010. The amendments hope to achieve greater energy efficiency in the residential building sector by upgrading the minimum energy standard to 6 stars or equivalent by 2011 and phasing in mandatory disclosure of residential building energy, greenhouse and water performance at the time of sale or lease.
Tags: energy efficiency rating
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